I have 25 chickens. 24 hens and 1 rooster. I plan on getting more chickens(even though I really shouldn't) and I wanted to pick up one more rooster to watch over my flock. My current rooster is a Barred Rock and he has mild aggression. He will do the dance and want to spar with me upon occasion, but has never drawn blood or attacked too seriously. I have three scenarios in my head about how to go about introducing a new rooster and I was hoping you all could give your input on what you would do. The scenarios are:
1) Get a full grown rooster, separate from other rooster and let them eyeball each other for a few weeks before pulling the fence out. Watch them closely when I do take the fence out.
2) Raise a chick rooster up and integrate him with my flock when he is aged 10 or 12 weeks. The thought behind this is that at 10 weeks he would be small and not challenge my full grown rooster. I'm hoping the fact that the older watches it grow up it might not have the same aggression it would have towards another rooster. I really don't know how this would work, it was just an idea I had. Maybe the older rooster would attack the 10 week old? I just don't know.
3) Get a bantam rooster. I wouldn't be opposed to a bantam rooster but I just don't know how a bantam would work with my LF rooster. Would they be cool around each other or would my LF rooster hurt the bantam?
I know how to integrate flocks. I have read several posts on that. I just don't know how to integrate a new rooster in. If you have experience in this area and it doesn't follow one of the previous things I stated please tell me. I am always open for suggestions.
Thank you!
1) Get a full grown rooster, separate from other rooster and let them eyeball each other for a few weeks before pulling the fence out. Watch them closely when I do take the fence out.
2) Raise a chick rooster up and integrate him with my flock when he is aged 10 or 12 weeks. The thought behind this is that at 10 weeks he would be small and not challenge my full grown rooster. I'm hoping the fact that the older watches it grow up it might not have the same aggression it would have towards another rooster. I really don't know how this would work, it was just an idea I had. Maybe the older rooster would attack the 10 week old? I just don't know.
3) Get a bantam rooster. I wouldn't be opposed to a bantam rooster but I just don't know how a bantam would work with my LF rooster. Would they be cool around each other or would my LF rooster hurt the bantam?
I know how to integrate flocks. I have read several posts on that. I just don't know how to integrate a new rooster in. If you have experience in this area and it doesn't follow one of the previous things I stated please tell me. I am always open for suggestions.
Thank you!